Baba Brinkman, who performed a musical interpretation of Pope Francis’ encyclical at the Paris summit, is trying to raise US$10,000
Baba Brinkman fuses science and hip hop (Pic: Baba Brinkman)
By Megan Darby
A Canadian rapper is crowdfunding a “scientifically peer-reviewed” album about climate change.
Baba Brinkman, whose previous work includes rap guides to religion, meditation and evolution, is aiming to drum up US$10,000 through Indiegogo. After four days, he was 25% of the way there.
Donations will go to produce songs like Laudato Si (Pope Francis’ environmental teachings set to a hip-hop track), Make it Hot (carbon pricing) and a cover of Notorious B.I.G.’s What’s Beef.
“What’s beef?” Brinkman asks. “Beef is when the scientific findings all agree. Beef is when the public perceives controversy. Beef is when the contrarian view, with no data supporting it, gets through.”
Brinkman premiered his global warming oeuvre at the Edinburgh fringe festival in August and starts a run at New York’s Soho Playhouse in February.
At December’s UN climate summit in Paris, he performed Laudato Si to a small but enthusiastic audience, who followed the actions.
Donors can get signed copies of the completed album, free tickets to the show, T-shirts and drinks with the artist.
If he exceeds his funding target, Brinkman plans to up the PR, make a music video and get vinyl versions of the album pressed.